Umbrella rib clip and pocket



Nov 9, 1948.

R. A. RUSSELL UMBRELLA RIB CLIP AND POCKET Filed April 19, 1948 Patented Nov. 9, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQEL UMBRELLA RIB CLIP AND POCKET Bay A. Russell, Santa Ana, Calif.

Application April 19, 1948, Serial No. 21,969

15 Claims. 1

This invention relates to umbrellas and more particularly to structures employed in the manufacture of large umbrellas of the type known commonly as beach and garden umbrellas.

In assembling large umbrellas, it has heretofore been diiiicult to provide proper seating means for the outer ends of the umbrella ribs where they are connected at the outer ends of the seams which join adjacent sections of the canvas umbrella canopy. It has also been difficult to provide such a seating means which is durable ing device in the form of a combined clip and pocket produced ordinaril from metal.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a metallic pocket which is both simple in construction and very readily attachable to the umbrella.

An additional object is to present to the industry a metallic clip and pocket device for the stated purpose, which device may be quick y applied by a simple tool to any position on the respective seam that may be required for any particular canopy design, and which will permit the corresponding rib to hold the adjacent seam portion against the canopy, while at the same time being firmly bound to the canopy at such seam to withstand the desired stretching effect produced when the canopy is raised.

Other objects of the invention, and the vari ous features thereof, will become apparent upon reference to the following description and the accompanyin drawin forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view indicating diagrammatically the relationship of the combined clip and pocket devices of this invention to the rest of an umbrella construction;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevational detail on an enlarged scale taken from the line 2--2 of Fig. l and showing the operative relationship between an umbrella rib and a clip and pocket device of this invention, the umbrella canopy being disclosed in section with seam portions in elevation, and an auxiliary positioning clip being also disclosed;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the combined clip and r seam portions 2 pocket of Fig. 2 in operative position as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken from the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the combined clip and pocket of this invention.

Having particular reference to Fig. 1, the drawing discloses an extended or raised umbrella canopy Ill, which is composed of the usual triangular sections or gores I2 connected to ether by seams. Corresponding seam portions iZa are illustrated on an enlarged scale in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Fig. 1 further discloses the disposition of a plurality of umbrella ribs M which are arranged along the seams and have their outermost ends received in combined clip and pocket devices i5 constructed in accordance with this invention and clamped upon the respective seam portions l2a. For the purpose of this description, the devices l5 ordinarily will be referred to merely as pockets [5.

Fig. 1 further illustrates the attachment of the inner ends of the umbrella ribs M- conventionally to a spider l6 or the like carried upon the upper end I! of an umbrella post. For the purpose of maintaining appropriate alignment of the umbrella ribs l4 along the seam portions I201, auxiliary clips l8 may be employed, these clips being short and of substantially cylindrical construction when disposed about the ribs M as best seen in Fig. 2, staggered teeth Mia being disposed at opposing edges of the split cylinder of which each such clip is composed, whereby to clamp the respective clips is on the respective l2a. For clarity, the seams at the seam portions 12a are generally indicated at 20 in Figs. 3 and 4. In'practice these seams are commonly formed by conventional overcast stitching 22, as seen in Fig. 2 and well known in the trade.

Each pocket I5 is ordinarily produced from strong metal and shaped in the general form of a split sleeve or cylinder which, however, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 is somewhat out of round so that it may receive the cylindrical end of the respective rib M in its lowermost portion as the parts are viewed in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and may also receive between an upper portion thereof and the rib l4 corresponding, superimposed seam portions I 2a of the respective seam 20, approximately as illustrated in Fig. 4-. Thus, the respective seam portions l2a are positioned by the outer end portions of the respective ribs [4.

Each pocket I5 is indicated as having a lower curved body portion 25 which is flared laterally upward approximately as shown, the upper portion of each side merging into inwardly directed jaws 26 which, when clamped into operative position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, are angled inward so that staggered teeth 27 on their opposed edges are in more or less direct opposition whereby to clamp the seam portions l2a firmly between them. Thus, the points of the teeth 21 on one jaw 26 press the fabric of the seam portions lZa into opposing notches 28 between the teeth on the other jaw 26, thus assuring a firm hold. At the same time the seam portions lZa within the pocket !5 are flattened out and retained along the inner wall of one of the jaws 26. Thus, the cross-sectional contour of each pocket 15 departs appreciably from the circular contour of the rib At the outer end of each pocket l5, it isprovided with integral wings 3B which are bent inward approximately as illustrated to form end wall members separated by a -\/-shape slot 3| which is bounded by edge faces 32 more or less opposed to each o her due to the relative disposition of the wings 3!]. Thus, when a pocket l5 of Fig. 5 is placed about seam portions !2a and forced by a proper clamping tool into the perative position illustrated in Fig. 3, the edge faces 32 of the wings 3i) tend to clamp between them the lower dep nd ng portions of the seam portions [2a, the V-shape slot of Fig. being reduced to a narrow slot 31a of relatively uniform width as seen in Fig. 3. When the parts are in this relationship, the upper edges 33 of the wings 30 are transversely disposed and are positioned well above the center of the respective rib l4 so that the outer end of rib I4 presses the adjacent depending section of the seam portions I211 against the inner wall of one of the wingsBfi, such seam portions lZa then being deflected laterally to one side of the pocket 15 along the broken line 34 seen at the left of Fig. 3 so that the seam portions extending inwardly toward the umbrella post are pressed up against the inner face of the corresponding jaw 26. tending s am portions lying within the poc et 25 are roughly disposed in approximate parallelism with the overlying portions of the canopy sections or gores l2. Therefore, the seam portions iZa. which extend inwardly beyond the inner end of the pocket [5 lie against the underside of the respective gore l2 and in general are held fiat thereagainst by the rib M. This is indicated in Fig. 2 at 35 where the canopy proper, which is illustrated in cross section, is held in spaced relationship from the rib M by the seam portions I2a. Such positioning is further aided by the auxiliary clips l8 spaced along the rib l4.

When the rib i4 is assembled in its operative relationship with the pocket I5 and the auxiliary clips l8 as seen in Fig. 2, the canopy I'll being in its extended or raised relationship as .indicated at Fig. 1, one of the functions of the rib H3 in each instance is to stretch the canopy along the seam 20. Such action is uniformly effected around the umbrella canopy by means of the various ribs M and their pockets l5, and such stretching, in actual practice, results in exerting considerable pressure upon the outer end Walls provided by the wings 30. To resist such pressure, the teeth '21 on the jaws 26 must necessarily cooperate to grip the seam portions l2a very firmly. Since the upper edges 33 of the wings 3i] terminate somewhatbelow ma n portions of the jaw 26. outwardl directed shoulders 36 at the ends of the jaw 26 are provided above the junction point 31 Thus, the inwardly exbetween the jaws 26 and the wings 36. These shoulders 36 tend additionally to bind against the outwardly projecting parts of the seamportions 12a whereby further to engage and hold the material of the canopy in regions somewhat removed from the points 38 where the teeth 21 begin to recede from the shoulders at at the respective, or outer, end of the pocket l5.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided a powerful combined clip and pocket for beach and garden umbrellas which may be readily produced from strong metal and which may be readily clamped upon the seams of umbrella canopies to stretch them in proper relationship without shifting of the pockets, such pockets additionally assisting the respective ribs in holding the seam portions flat against the corresponding canopy sections. This is particularly true where the outer ends of the ribs M are bent somewhat downward, as illustrated in Fig. 2, whereby to cooperate in providing 2, depending annular portion entirely around the umbrella especially where the umbrella is finished with a loosely hanging valence 49 as indicated in Fig. 2.

It is to be particularly noted that, when the combined clip and pocket of this invention is secured in operative position about a canopy seam, the clamp jaws 26 areso disposed with relation to the wings 30 that there is substantially no space vertically between the upper edges of the wings 30 and theundersides of the jaws 26 and their teeth 'Z'l. Consequently, the opposed edge faces 32 of the wings 3%] become auxiliary clamp jaws which engage the depending seam portions 12a so that the latter also are firmly clamped by these auxiliary means. To improve the gripping action of the parts upon the seam when the latter isstretched, the wings 35! are angled somewhat outward along the axis of the single channel provided in the clip and pocket l5, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5, so that the innermost edges of the faces 32 bite firmly into the adjacent fabric of the seam portions, as indicated in Fig. 3. y, I

Variations of the specific construction disc osed here n, no doubt. will appear to those skilled in the art, and these are intended tobe covered by the claims insofar as they fall within the scope thereof.

I claim as my invention: 7

1. A clip pocket for umbrellassaid clip com prising: a hollow, elongated, split body member curved about a longitudinal axis to provide a longitudinal channel adapted to receive an end of an umbrella rib along said axis; elongated jaws carried in opposed relation by opposite side wall portions of said member at the split thereof and directed toward one another; grippingrneans provided on said jaws in opposed relation to grip an umbrella canopy from opposite sides along a seam with a depending portion of said seam disposed in said channel and held against inner wall portions thereof by said rib; and opposed wings carried by said opposite side wall portions at one end of said body member and directed laterally inward toward said axis with their inwardly directed edges opposed and providing a slot to receive between'them an adjacent part of said depending seam portion, said wings cooperating to form upstanding stop wall means for the re.- spective end of said rib,

2. A clip pocket as in claim 1 wherein upper edges of said wings adjacent said jaws lie closely adjacent said jaws to effect substantial closing of said .end of said. channel. 7 g

3. A clip pocket as in claim 2 wherein shoulders are provided on the ends of said jaws at the bases of said gripping means and adjacent said wings.

4. A clip pocket as in claim 1 wherein shoulders are provided on the ends of said jaws at the bases of said gripping means and adjacent said wings.

5. A clip pocket as in claim 1 wherein said gripping means are teeth arranged in opposing rows with the teeth of one row staggered with respect to those in the opposing row.

6. A clip pocket as in claim 1 wherein said wings are also directed somewhat axially outward in the direction of thrust of said umbrella rib to provide for an improved grip for said adjacent part of said depending seam portion.

'7. In combination in an umbrella construction: an umbrella fabric providing a seam presenting a depending seam portion; an elongated, split sleeve member formed about a longitudinal axis and providing a single longitudinal channel adapted to receive a length of said depending seam portion with said seam portion extending through and beyond both ends of said sleeve; elongated jaw members carried by opposite side wall portions of said sleeve at the opposite sides of the split thereof, said jaws being directed toward each other; gripping means provided on opposing edges of said jaws and directed toward each other in opposing relation and firmly gripping said umbrella fabric at the base of said seam; opposed wings carried by said opposite wall portions at one end of said sleeve and directed toward each other to receive between them adjacent depending part of said seam portion, said wings also providing end wall means for said channel; and an umbrella rib having an end portion received in said sleeve with its end bear ing against said wings to stretch said fabric, side portions of said rib holding the contained seam portion against adjacent side wall portions of said channel.

8. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the end of said umbrella rib urges an adjacent part of said seam portion against a wing.

9. A combination as in claim 7 wherein said wings are also directed somewhat axially outg ward in the direction of thrust of said umbrella rib to provide for an improved grip for said adjacent part of said depending seam portion.

10. A combination as in claim 7 wherein upper edges of said wings adjacent said jaws lie closely adjacent said jaws to efiect substantial closing of said end of said channel.

11. A combination as in claim '7 wherein shoulders are provided on the ends of said jaws at the bases of said gripping means and adjacent said wings.

12. A combination as in claim '7 wherein said gripping means are teeth arranged in opposing rows with the teeth of one row staggered with respect to those in the opposing row.

13. A combined clip and pocket for umbrella seams and adapted to be engaged by the end of an umbrella rib, said clip and pocket comprising: an elongated split sleeve shaped about a longitudinal axis and providing a single longitudinal channel of cross-sectional dimensions to receive said end of said umbrella rib sufliciently snugly to press against inner wall portions adjacent the split of said sleeve those canopy seam portions which depend through the split; opposing jaws carried by opposite side wall portions of said sleeve at opposite sides of said split, said jaws having opposed seam engaging means for seam portions extending through said split; and wings at one end of said opposite side wall portions and directed toward each other and forming end wall means for the corresponding end of said channel to bear against the extremity of said rib, said opposed wings providing between them a narrow slot for receiving a projecting part of a seam No references cited. 

